Shadowing Practice: IELTS LISTENING REAL TEST 1 3 - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
1
Good morning, Riverdale Preschool.
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Sally speaking.
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Hello.
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My name's Robert.
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I've got a four -year -old daughter called Susie, and I'd like to get some information about your preschool, please.
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Sure, Robert.
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Well, Susie's the right age.
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We take three - and four -year -olds in classes of 20 students.
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Oh, great.
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And how many teachers do you have?
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We have two.
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The first group is taught by Mrs Oliver, and the second group is taken by Mrs Keogh.
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Just a moment.
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I'll write that down.
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Could you spell the last name, please?
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It's an unusual one, isn't it?
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Yes, it's K -E -O -G -H.
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OK, I've got that.
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Now, I know the children attend for two or three days a week.
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That's right.
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The older ones, like Susie, are here for three days, which means 15 hours a week.
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The younger ones, the three -year -olds, attend two days a week.
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That's a total of 10 hours.
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And what do they do during that time?
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Well, half the day is spent outside and the children can run around
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and play games with their friends or do a calmer activity, like painting, for example.
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We have a great outside play area that we're improving all the time.
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Yes, we were walking past the other day and Susie noticed.
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You've recently put in a new slide, haven't you?
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Yes, we're really pleased with it.
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It's a big one and the children love it.
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And are you thinking of adding anything else outdoors?
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Well, we were hoping to build a playhouse, but that was too expensive.
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So we're now making plans for a garden where the children will be able to grow flowers and vegetables.
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Lovely.
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And what else do the children do?
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Well, the other half of the day is spent indoors.
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This year, the children seem to be very interested in music, so the teachers are doing a lot of activities related to that.
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Last year, there seemed to be more of an interest in dancing.
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Well, Susie would love either of those.
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The teachers may sometimes play quiet games with the children, but we always make time for a story each day.
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It's a very important part of the program here.
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Yes, of course.
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Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 6 to 10 on page 2.
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Now listen and answer questions 6 to 10.
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now i'd like to ask you about the fees
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if that's okay sure we actually had to put them up
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this term i'm afraid yes i heard from a friend of mine
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that it used to be four hundred and twenty dollars for the term
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but it's just gone up to four hundred and seventy dollars is
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that right yes we had to add the extra fifty dollars
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to cover costs things got a lot more expensive last year i understand And I think the fees are still quite reasonable.
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Another school I've spoken to charges $500 per term.
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Oh, really?
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My friend also told me that his daughter went on a trip to the local zoo
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and that the cost of that was covered in the fees.
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Is that right?
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Yes, we did that last year, but we'll be going to a farm this year instead.
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We vary it, so, for example, we may go to the theatre next year.
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OK, it sounds like fun.
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Also included in the price is membership of a special library.
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Children can borrow a toy and keep it for a week and choose a different one the following week.
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It's very popular.
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What a great idea.
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We would certainly make use of that system if we enrol.
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Now, is there anything else I should know?
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Well, the children have a rest here during the day
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and we make up a little bed for them with sheets and blankets.
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But we advise parents to pack a pillow in the child's bag as we don't provide one.
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OK, I'll make a note of that.
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So, what should I do if I want to come and look around the school during the day and meet the staff?
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The best thing is to call the teacher on the classroom mobile and she'll tell you which time is best to visit.
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Shall I give you the number?
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Yes, please.
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OK, it's 0914 638 520.
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Thanks for all your help, Sally, and we hope to see you soon.
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No problem.
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Bye for now.
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You now have half a minute to check your answers.
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Now listen carefully.
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and answer questions eleven to fifteen
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hi thanks for coming along my name is Marissa
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and I'm going to tell you a bit about finding part -time jobs
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not everybody wants to work when they're studying
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and as this is your first year you may feel that you've quite enough to do as it is
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but you may change your mind or find that you need to earn some extra cash
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however if you are a student from overseas there may be particular conditions attached to working in this country,
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so you should check with the staff at the center before applying for a job.
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Right.
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Now, the university has its own job center on the campus.
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Well, actually, it's not on this main, Hilston campus.
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It's based in the Student Services Building on the campus called Woodside,
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spelt W -O -O -D -S -I -D -E.
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The center works on a drop -in basis, which means that you don't have to make an appointment.
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It's open six days a week, Monday to Saturday, and nine hours a day from 10 in the morning until 8 at night.
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The center is run by other students, but a professional employment lawyer is on hand every Tuesday if you want any advice about your job.
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There may be a queue, in which case you will have to wait, so make sure you allow plenty of time.
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part -time jobs become available almost every day
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and they are advertised on the university website
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which you can access through the library
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if the computer center is closed you should check things daily
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and if you see a job
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which interests you call in at the center before you hear
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the rest of the talk you have some time to look at questions 16 to 20 on page four
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Now listen and answer questions 16 to 20.
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There's a good variety of jobs on offer in the university itself just now. For example,
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they're looking for people to check that all the vehicles using the university car parks have got up -to -date permits.
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Office jobs rarely come up, but in future the university is hoping to be able to offer jobs in the IT center.
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There are also recruitment open days, which are held regularly during the year,
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when local employers come into the university to recruit students for part -time work within their company.
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These two -day events are scheduled well in advance each term and are advertised in the usual places.
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Of course, part -time work is useful to supplement your income, but it's also a valuable way of building up an employment record that reflects your skills and capabilities.
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One of most common complaints of graduates leaving university is
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that many jobs require proven experience
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so those applicants who have evidence of part -time work on
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their cv often have an advantage the job center advertises jobs
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which will give you skills such as using word processing packages spreadsheets
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or supervisory skills so if you have to work use the opportunity to develop skills
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which will help you secure a job in the future.
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Now, what about the financial side of things?
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Well, students who work part -time can no longer expect to be paid cash.
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An employer will deduct tax from what you earn, but depending on your own individual circumstances and how much you earn in a year,
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you should be able to reclaim some of this.
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You may also have to contribute towards an insurance scheme, but you must ask your employer about these deductions.
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You should also check whether you will be paid weekly or monthly, and if you work extra hours, what your overtime rate will be.
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It's also necessary to make sure that your employer knows that you may only be able to work during term time.
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Communication between you and your employer is very important, but don't expect all employers to use email.
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If you are ill
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or cannot get into work for whatever reason make sure your employer knows in good time
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that shouldn't be a problem now that everyone has a mobile phone and
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if you decide to leave the job you should make sure
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you put this in writing some employers require a month's notice even for a part -time job
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so what sort of work can you expect to find well as i said earlier there is
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That is the end of Section 2.
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You now have half a minute to check your answers.
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Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 26.
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Hello, John.
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Come in and sit down.
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You're here to discuss your research project, are you?
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Yes, I've more or less decided what to do, but I'd like your opinion.
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Fine.
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You've chosen a topic?
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Yes.
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I want to look at how people use public services in their local area.
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Things like parks and swimming pools.
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Right.
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Well, the kind of information you'll get is very useful for town planning, of course.
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Do you have a special interest in public services?
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Not really.
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It's just that I found a report in the college library about an investigation
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that was done ten years ago and I thought it'd be interesting to do a parallel one.
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Ten years is a relatively short space of time.
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What do you expect to find?
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Do you think things will be more or less the same as before?
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I think there'll be some differences.
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For example, I think the number of people going to the library will have decreased.
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And I'd guess that older people are using the sports centre more often than they're used to.
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Fine.
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So those are your hypotheses.
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Now, what sort of data are you going to use?
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I was thinking of using official records from the management or the local council and analysing them.
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They should be easy to obtain.
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I don't think that sort of information would be confidential.
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Yes, you're probably right.
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There might not be as much information as you'd like, but it'd certainly be the easiest kind of data to work with.
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But have you considered using a questionnaire as well?
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It's OK to get data from more than one source.
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Absolutely.
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It's a bonus.
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You've already done the module on questionnaire design, haven't you?
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And it'll be good to get experience because next year you'll have to do something similar for your final dissertation
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on a bigger scale okay
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and what are the variables you'll be looking at are you
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going to look at people's level of education whether they have
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a degree for example i hadn't planned to do you think
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i should well you might see some interesting patterns okay
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and that'll tie in nicely with my plans to analyse the
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kind of work people do what about the size of your
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sample have you got any thoughts on the number of questionnaires you might send out the previous study surveyed 120 people
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i don't think i can really analyse more than 50 working by myself
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so i should probably distribute about 80 questionnaires altogether to allow
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for wastage do you think that's enough definitely I know that your project guidelines recommend a minimum of a hundred, but that's an ideal number,
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and you're working by yourself.
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And anyway, this assignment is mainly about giving you practice in research methods.
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Right.
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Before you hear the rest of the discussion, you have some time to look at questions 27 to 30 on page 6.
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Now listen and answer questions 27 to 30.
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And think of ways you can encourage people to actually complete the questionnaire.
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For example, to make sure that your questions make sense, you should try them out beforehand.
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OK, that's no problem.
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My friends will help.
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Good.
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Sometimes you get unpredicted responses and you have to rephrase a question.
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And I know that you usually get a better return if you deliver questionnaires in person,
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but there'll be too many but I could enclose a stamped envelope for the return post.
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It's a bit expensive, but I think it'd be worth it.
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Yes, good.
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Some people say that another way of increasing returns is to make the questionnaires anonymous, but usually people put their names on anyway,
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so I don't think that would make much difference.
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OK.
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And can you give me a bit more advice about the questionnaire?
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Would it be a good idea to have a short paragraph at the top explaining what i'm doing
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and why definitely
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and don't forget you'll need to get a bit of information about your subjects what age group they're in
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and perhaps how long they've lived in the area, so you'll need questions for that.
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Ah, yes.
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I suppose that'll mean it takes a bit longer to complete, but, er...
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Should I give them my phone number in case there's anything they're not sure about?
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I wouldn't if I were you, no. OK.
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And do I have to use open -ended questions as well as closed questions?
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I know the books say it's better to have a mixture.
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Well, it depends.
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In this case, I'd stick to closed questions.
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The results will be much more manageable like that.
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If I draft some questions tomorrow, would it be OK to bring them...
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That is the end of Section 3.
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You now have half a minute to check your answers.
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Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40.
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Hello, everyone.
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I have an exciting announcement to make.
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The university has decided to enter an international competition next year,
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and we are going to need some enthusiastic undergraduates to help us with the project.
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The competition is to make an automated vehicle,
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a kind of robot that will be able to move quickly and accurately on its own.
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All the vehicles will then enter a race, which will take place here in the U .S.
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So the engineering school will be collaborating with the computer science department and possibly the automotive design department, although that's yet to be confirmed.
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What they have to do is try to design an automated vehicle which will be able to complete the course.
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To give you an idea of how tough this race is,
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one vehicle last year only managed 12 kilometers of the 280 -kilometer stretch of California desert that forms the racetrack.
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The vehicles in the race must cover the whole distance without a human driver and,
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quite autonomously, identify and steer around corners and avoid unexpected hazards,
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things like rocks for example it's a challenging task
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because there are lots of obstacles of this kind along the
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route as i said in last year's event the most successful vehicle only drove 12 kilometers
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then its team decided to deactivate it because it had gotten too near a cliff
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in the race held earlier this year there still wasn't a winner
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but they did much better and there was one design which we will be analyzing carefully in seminars.
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Its strength was in its onboard technology.
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That particular vehicle built a three -dimensional picture of its surroundings using video cameras and lasers.
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It was equipped with seven laptop computers, which analyzed the incoming information ten times a second
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and it drove along at a comfortable 55 kilometers per hour the design details have been published
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so we hope to learn from them
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and go on to make ours even better for next year's competition the competition is open to all universities
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and there's a prize of two million dollars for the winner but it's really about more than that
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The sponsors are hoping to see innovative design ideas that they can transfer into commercial production.
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You'll get a lot out of this project as well in terms of working as a team
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and broadening your knowledge of the subject.
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The key to winning is unlikely to be anything to do with what the vehicle looks like.
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Programming skills will decide who eventually wins first prize.
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the design will need technological expertise in this area above all
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and that's what the team who work on the project will
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need to focus on i'll be handing out some scientific reports about this year's vehicle shortly it's interesting to read
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that even after months and months of planning building
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and trials many of the teams were amazed
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that the vehicles did what they wanted them to do at all
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because so many things can go wrong on the day
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so even though no vehicle actually completed the course they were pleased they got as far as they did right
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if any of you are interested this is the plan of
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action keep an eye on the main notice board for details
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firstly at the beginning of may we'll be scheduling a seminar to introduce the project to anyone who might be interested
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later in the month we'll be asking you to submit a
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short essay letting us know why you feel you should be
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chosen to take part in the project You'll need to tell us about any particular skills
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that you have and can bring to the team and any experience you may have had in the field.
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Then, in June, we're organizing a trip to a factory to chat over some
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design considerations with specialists there who have kindly agreed to act as consultants throughout the project.
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Then, at the beginning of the next semester in September, we thought we'd hold a weekend workshop to share ideas and see computer -aided design demonstrations.
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We have a brand new package, which sponsors have kindly financed.
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You'll need to be able to use it with confidence before we start.
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In December, we'll be asking you to submit your outline designs, and the following month, we'll choose the team and start work in earnest.
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Okay, it sounds like a lot of fun, but it will also require serious commitment.
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So please think this through carefully.
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Some handouts are coming around now.
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Any questions?
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That is the end of Section 4.
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You now have half a minute to check your answers.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 276 sentences and 3077 words to shadow. The speech runs for 21:26. The speaker talks at a steady 144 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 88% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 less common words from the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
- employer /ɪmˈplɔɪə/ (noun) — A person, firm or other entity which pays for or hires the services of another person.
- carefully /ˈkɛɹf(ə)li/ (adverb) — With care; attentively, circumspectly.
- earn /ɝn/ (verb) — To gain (success, reward, recognition) through applied effort or work.
- advertise /ˈædvɚˌtaɪ̯z/ (verb) — To give (especially public) notice of (something); to announce publicly.
- package /ˈpæk.ɪd͡ʒ/ (noun) — Something which is packed, a parcel, a box, an envelope.
- spell /spɛl/ (noun) — Words or a formula supposed to have magical powers.
- submit /səbˈmɪt/ (verb) — To yield or give way to another.
- sponsor /ˈspɒn.səː/ (noun) — A person or organization with some sort of responsibility for another person or organization, especially where the responsibility has a religious, legal, or…
- kindly /ˈkaɪn(d)li/ (adverb) — In a kind manner, out of kindness.
- analyze /ˈæn.əˌlaɪz/ (verb) — To subject to analysis.
- seminar /ˈsɛmɪnɑɹ/ (noun) — A class held for advanced studies in which students meet regularly to discuss original research, under the guidance of a professor.
- preschool /ˈpɹiːskuːl/ (adjective) — Of or relating to the years of early childhood before attendance at primary school.
- topic /ˈtɑpɪk/ (noun) — A subject; a theme; a category or general area of interest.
- membership (noun) — The state of being a member of a group or organization.
- shortly /ˈʃɔɹtli/ (adverb) — In a short or brief time or manner; quickly.
Phrasal verbs you will hear
- look at (verb) — To observe or watch.
- work on (verb) — To apply mental or physical effort to (something) in order to shape, form, improve, investigate, solve it, etc.
- build on /bɪldɑn/ (verb) — To add additional elements or components to (a framework, a concept, a device, etc.) in order to extend it.
- build up (verb) — To erect; to construct.
- come along (verb) — To accompany.
- come around /kʌ.məˈɹaʊnd/ (verb) — To change one's mind, especially to begin to agree or appreciate what one was reluctant to accept at first.
- come in /ˌkʌm ˈɪn/ (verb) — To enter.
- come into (verb) — To obtain (usually money or property), especially through inheritance.
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 70 contractions and reduced forms, such as you'll, don't, I'd. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: altogether /ɔl.tuˈɡɛð.ɚ/, hypothesis /haɪˈpɒθɪsɪs/, enthusiastic /ɪnˌθjuːzɪˈæstɪk/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: shortly /ˈʃɔɹtli/, unusual /ʌnˈjuːʒ(u)əl/, sheet /ʃit/, consideration /kənˌsɪd.əˈɹeɪ.ʃən/, specialist /ˈspɛʃəlɪst/
- Long words — get the stress right: unusual /ʌnˈjuːʒ(u)əl/, consideration /kənˌsɪd.əˈɹeɪ.ʃən/, unexpected /ʌnɪkˈspɛktɪd/, anonymous /əˈnɒn.ə.məs/, innovative /ˈɪn.əˌveɪtɪv/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like employer, carefully, earn.
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Conditional sentences if + clause, will/would + verb — a condition and its result | If I draft some questions tomorrow, would it |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | is taught · is spent · was covered |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | I've spoken · You've chosen · have decreased |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | days, which means · basis, which means · days, which are |
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.